Devils Lake runner competing well for Jamestown

Wednesday

Oct 30, 2013 at 4:24 PM

Special to the Journal

YANKTON, S.D. -- Jamestown cross country runners Aleona Reyes, Samantha Goff and Christa Lysne all finished in the top 14 of 129 competitors at the Mt. Marty Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 26, leading the Jimmies to a third-place finish among the 12-team field.

The Jimmies finished behind only No. 7 Dordt College and South Dakota State. The Jimmies finished second among 11 NAIA teams in the field.

“I am thrilled with the team performance today,” said James Clark, Jamestown women’s cross country head coach. “We saw 11 NAIA schools and defeated all but one. Dordt is a legit team, ranked seventh in the NAIA, so it was fun to see how we stack up with them and most of the other schools in the Great Plains Conference.”

Senior Aleona Reyes (Belen, N.M.) ran 18:27 to finish second overall after finishing third in this race for the past two years.

Running a huge personal best was freshman Christa Lysne (Devils Lake, N.D.) with a 14th place, showing in 19:25.

“Christa ran like a veteran today,” Clark said after the race. “She has been looking stronger and stronger in practices, but she took it to the course today. She got out and ran the first half of the race stronger and still finished with authority, passing a couple runners inside the last 200 meters. It is a pretty elite group that finishes in the top 20 in this race, and Christa certainly earned her T-shirt.”

Katie Blais (20:46.88) cut a minute off her last meet and was the fourth finisher. Blais started the season late due to knee surgery. Kayla Byle (20:53.13) and Leah Oien (21:06.84) each posted career-bests. Brooke Grooters (21:26.88) rounded out the lineup.

The national qualifier is next on the agenda for Jamestown cross country, which will take place on Nov. 9 in Lawrence, Kan. The national meet is back in Lawrence two weeks later.